DELIRIOUS

***avant-premier (that means PRE-OPENING NIGHT SPECIAL SCREENING, BOOOYAH) in the presence of the director himself, Tom DiCillo**

http://www.delirious-lefilm.com/
plot : Homeless boy falls for popstar.
thought : Everyone loves an underdog tale.

Yeh, it's true, I saw the movie here in Paris with Tom DiCillo at the movie theatre. Even asked him a question afterwards. I'm disheartened to say he gave some nebbish, stock response that made me almost immediately dislike this movie because I was disappointed by its director, but don't worrym I recovered. DERLIRIOUS is a great film. And Tom DiCillo is a great director. After watching the trailer, sure, you already know the entire damn movie, so you don't...actually...have to see it, but you should ! Because it's beautiful. And Michael PITT, our homeless, leading male, is brilliant.

The story centers on a struggling actor from Philly who comes out to the city where dreams are made at the price of your soul (that would be Los Angeles, ladies and gents) and ends up volunteering to assist Steve BUSCEMI's character, Les, a "licensed professional photographer" (read : paparazzi). He agrees to help Les snap shots of the stars in exchange for a place to sleep but almost instantaneously falls in love with his first mark, the mysterious and nimble K'harma, played by Allison LOHMAN (who we loved in MATCHSTICK MEN). It's a light romantic comedy but it maintains a beautifully visual and dialogue-centered trajectory, and though it takes some turns you wouldn't expect (keep an eye on that Buscemi), it ends up where the trailer promised it would.

Now about Michael Pitt. You may remember Michael PITT (no relation to the starving Brangelina) from such wonderful recents like the French brother-sister sexfest LES INNOCENTS, i.e. THE DREAMERS (it was intellectual, mind you) or the American mother-son sexfest THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS (it was artistic, mind you)--or you may not. I never saw either, I'm sad to say, but after seeing this movie, I find myself more curious about Michael Pitt. Tom DiCillo said it best himself by recounting that he strove to find an actor that could channel both "homeless, lost youth" and "red carpet movie star" in the same film. He definitely found his man. Will Hollywood open the door for Michael Pitt ? Or should we first wait and see how he does opposite Kiera in SILK (14 september, USA limited) ?

Overall rating : 3/5 (recall my rule about romantic comedies by reading LOVE ET SES PETITS DESASTRES)